Bud, Coors, MGD, Papst and Schlitz (which I hear is making a comeback).  A six-pack used to mean half a dozen of these popular beers.  These classic beers were just fine before they became "less carbs", "no fat", "low-whatever".   No wonder everyone flocked to the microbrews.  The most popular six-pack today is on the cover of Men's Health, which each month displays another shirtless, belly-baring, sexual-orientation-questionable, star/model.  Well, except Mark Wahlberg, who must be straight due to the 4 kids.   All the MH covers look the same to me. 

We've got some serious addiction to abdominal toning in West.  Is it not everywhere you look that you see some reference to the "belly":   Ab-Buster, The Ab Diet,  Abs in 6-minutes?  Want an instant 6-pack?  Paint it on here  and here and press it on here.(1)   It's everywhere.  Not so much in other parts of the world.  What does this mean?  Is all this crunching and obsession a good thing?  Should we be crunching like crazy?  Is a relaxed, soft belly OK? 

We all have 6-packs (which are really 8-packs), but some people show or don't show them.  Many people, although working hard, because of their genetic make-up (hello Kaphas) do not have much muscle definition.  For most of us our packs are hidden under a layer of belly flesh. 

Francois Raoult, Iyengar Yoga tnstructor, has an opinion about this obsession and I like it.  He puts things in perspective.  He suggests there is there a middle path between the strong, hard abdominal muscles and the soft, belly  of Mr. Buddha.  He says:  "Abs should be left alone in daily life.  and engaged in context where they are matching with what is needed, which is usually flexion."

If you're in plank pose, you need those abs.  You're walking down the street, not so much.  The abdominal muscles, part of our "core" (along with the iliopsoas, piriformis and intrinseques muscles) are responsible for stability of the spine.  They are active in flexion of the spine, exhalation, urination, defecation, giving birth and laughing(!).  Over-tight, short abdominal muscles can interfere with our breathing, potentially leading to anxiety through the restriction of the inhalation.  They also can unnecessarily pull the ribs down and pressing on the heart and shorting the front body.   Energetically, what effect is all this over-tightening having on our third chakra--the power center? 

As yoga practitioners, we have the opportunity in all our poses to consider the activation of the abdominal muscles.  Engaged and strong abs are critical for planks, chaturangas, Warrior 3s, and the headstands which take the feet up and down from the floor.  The are completely stretched and elongated in our bridges and wheel poses and  should be soft and relaxed in our savasana.  So, just like life, it's best to put this ab stuff in perspective.  We want to strive for  a toned belly which is firm when engaged and soft when at rest.  The perfect middle path.

P.S.  There's a lot more to say about this topic, especially our obsession with a hard belly, the conscious and unconscious contraction of the belly muscles and it's effect on our breathing, internal organs and flow of energy.  More to come.

(1)  Yes, you're absolutely right, I had a bit too much time on my hands when I was researching this article.  But, what a kick, don't you think?